The Basics of Make-Up by Marta Guillen Munoz

The Basics of Make Up by Marta Guillen Munoz is an excellent resource for someone in the make-up, drama, retail, photography, movie, or teaching fields. I plan to use this book to help teach my drama class the importance of makeup, the tools used, and the corrections that can be made to a person with different size/shape face, forehead, etc.

The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah

My review:

Truly a delightful book! The end is one that will keep you guessing till the very last page! Angie DeSaria has experienced the loss of a child, loss of an adoption and then a divorce. She decides to move back to her home town and help take over her family resturant. She ends up helping a troubled teen who needs a mother figure. Together the two women will test each other in ways neither had thought they would.

I would have liked to see that the author had written a sequel to the book but unfortunately that has not happened.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Year of the Fog by Michelle Richmond

Publisher's Information:

Life changes in an instant. On a foggy beach. In the seconds when Abby Mason—photographer, fiancée soon-to-be-stepmother—looks into her camera and commits her greatest error. Heartbreaking, uplifting, and beautifully told, here is the riveting tale of a family torn apart, of the search for the truth behind a child’s disappearance, and of one woman’s unwavering faith in the redemptive power of love—all made startlingly fresh through Michelle Richmond’s incandescent sensitivity and extraordinary insight.

Six-year-old Emma vanished into the thick San Francisco fog. Or into the heaving Pacific. Or somewhere just beyond: to a parking lot, a stranger’s van, or a road with traffic flashing by. Devastated by guilt, haunted by her fears about becoming a stepmother, Abby refuses to believe that Emma is dead. And so she searches for clues about what happened that morning—and cannot stop the flood of memories reaching from her own childhood to illuminate that irreversible moment on the beach.

Now, as the days drag into weeks, as the police lose interest and fliers fade on telephone poles, Emma’s father finds solace in religion and scientific probability—but Abby can only wander the beaches and city streets, attempting to recover the past and the little girl she lost.

My Review:

Book was about a disappearance and possible abduction of a little girl. This is a parent's worst nightmare! I can not imagine the feeling "Abby" and "Jake" (the two main characters) go through.

Magnificent book! I could not put it down! I love the page turner writing ability Richmond used. Every moment I was reading she had me guessing what would happen. I did not guess the ending at all! Completely surprised! Highly recommended! Author should be listed among the best authors of all time such as Jodi Picoult, Wally Lamb, and others!


5 out of 5 stars!

ART + PARIS: IMPRESSIONISTS AND POST-IMPRESSIONISTS By Museyon Guides

Publisher Information

Art+Paris goes far beyond the usual guidebook, combining a crash-course in art appreciation with dramatic, expert-written biographies of eight Impressionist artists and comprehensive listings of the most important, museums, galleries and historical sites that Paris has to offer. With this book reader will see Paris through the eyes of the Impressionists and their followers. From the Musée d'Orsay to the seedy cabarets of Pigalle, Art+Paris: Impressionists uncovers the places that inspired Manet, Degas and Van Gogh. Want to dig even deeper? Then travel beyond Paris to the suburbs and Normandy to find the scenic villages painted by Monet, Renoir and Cézanne. Intended for tourists and local art lovers alike, this must-have guide to contemporary art is filled with over 500 full color paintings, 300 photos and 17 maps.

My Review:

This book is divided into the following sections:

What is impressionism?
Impressionists
How the impressionists broke from the salon.
Impressionist Exhibitions
Museum Tours / 150 Paintings
Paris Walking Tours
North of Paris and Normandy

Book is a wonderful edition to any art lover as well as anyone making a trip to Paris. Book not only includes information on art but also includes sections for walking tours through the city and in several museums.

5 out of 5 stars.

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

Publisher

In the rugged Pacific Northwest lies the Olympic National Forest—nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and impossible beauty. From deep within this old growth forest, a six-year-old girl appears. Speechless and alone, she offers no clue as to her identity, no hint of her past.

Having retreated to her western Washington hometown after a scandal left her career in ruins, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to free the extraordinary little girl she calls Alice from a prison of unimaginable fear and isolation. To reach her, Julia must discover the truth about Alice’s past—although doing so requires help from Julia’s estranged sister, a local police officer. The shocking facts of Alice’s life test the limits of Julia’s faith and strength, even as she struggles to make a home for Alice—and for herself. In Magic Hour, Kristin Hannah creates one of her most beloved characters, and delivers an incandescent story about the resilience of the human spirit, the triumph of hope, and the meaning of home.

Me And Emma by Elizabeth Flock

Publisher

In many ways, Carrie Parker is like any other eight-year-old—playing make-believe, dreading school, dreaming of faraway places.

But even her imagination can't shut out the realities of her impoverished North Carolina home or help her protect her younger sister, Emma.

As the big sister, Carrie is determined to do anything to keep Emma safe from a life of neglect and abuse at the hands of their drunken stepfather, Richard—abuse their momma can't seem to see, let alone stop.

But after the sisters' plan to run away from home unravels, their world takes a shocking turn—and one shattering moment ultimately reveals a truth that leaves everyone reeling.

Queen Esther & The Second Graders of Doom by Allie Pleiter

Publishers Info

Teaching Sunday school at her brother's church in the Bay area was supposed to help former champion athlete Esther "Essie" Walker understand boys -- the better to raise her newborn son as a stellar example of manhood. Fat chance! Enter the eight-year-old male psyche: awful jokes, disrespectful behavior and general mayhem. Essie, the queen of control, finds herself in a brand-new world of chaos.

The pressure builds on all fronts -- Sunday school class, husband's job search, church dramatic pageant, aging parents, finances -- until Queen Esther has one royal meltdown. God, it seems, has makeover plans for Essie's competitive nature. Her characteristic control is in very short supply as she gains a better understanding of the nature of imperfection, the value of motherhood and the virtues of a messy but connected life.

My Review:

Very cute and easy read. Great fast Christian book. Favorite Part: Part where Ester is trying to teach her Sunday School class about miracles and ends up getting into a discussion on weather Jesus Christ does or does not have x-ray vision with a bunch of superhero loving 2nd grade boys. I can understand where she is coming from as I am a teacher and sometimes have the weirdest questions asked of me as well!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Publisher Information:

The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

My review:

A typical classic. I was forced to read this while in school (middle school I believe) but of course like any other classic... one truly does not enjoy it until you are an adult. This is a great coming of age book taking place during the turn of the century.

Look Again by Lisa Scottoline

Publishers Information

When reporter Ellen Gleeson gets a “Have You Seen This Child?” flyer in the mail, she almost throws it away. But something about it makes her look again, and her heart stops—the child in the photo is identical to her adopted son, Will. Her every instinct tells her to deny the similarity between the boys, because she knows her adoption was lawful. But she’s a journalist and won’t be able to stop thinking about the photo until she figures out the truth. And she can’t shake the question: if Will rightfully belongs to someone else, should she keep him or give him up? She investigates, uncovering clues no one was meant to discover, and when she digs too deep, she risks losing her own life—and that of the son she loves.


My Review

Amazing book! I feel for Ellen with her roller coaster of emotions. I was in shock over the end of the story. This was a page turner! I was unable to put the book down for a day. You will be pleasantly surprised by the way the book turns out.
I can't wait to read another book by Lisa Scottoline.

5 out of 5 Stars!

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Publishers info
A young boy emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven. Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear. Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle

My review

wow! What an amazing story. If you ever wondered what Heaven looked like this book gives in great detail an account of the beauty of Heaven. A very emotional story to read as I am sure it was to write as well. I have since passed this book on to my 9 year old daughter to read. I hope she gets as much out of it as I have. I am truly amazed at the mercy and the hand of God.

5 out of 5 stars!

The Caregiver by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two lives converge one stormy night on a train headed to Cleveland
Lucy is traveling by herself via train to Jacob's Crossing to help care for her cousin Mattie, recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Trying to overcome the sudden death of her husband, she's glad to get away and focus on someone else for a while.

The only other Amish people on the train are Calvin Weaver and his little sister, Katie. When their train breaks down outside of Cleveland, Calvin and Lucy band together to face the outside world. But Calvin also carries the weight of past hurts. When an altercation brings both their wounds to light, they question whether they can trust each other.

Once in Jacob's Crossing, Lucy is occupied with caring for Mattie, while Calvin does his best to run his family's farm. But they can't stop thinking about those special hours spent together. Will the bond they formed last? And will Lucy and Calvin be able to put away the pain in their pasts to recognize the happiness that is suddenly in their grasp?


My Review

I enjoyed this book very much. It is not anything like the other Christian Amish stories I have read by other authors. I did enjoy the characters Shelley created. Lucy & Calvin were easy to sympathize with. Anyone could see themselves transposed into this story as an outsider or even a friend of Lucy looking in while her life is changing.
** Mild Language**
4 1/2 out of 5 stars!

Sasha Kaga's Classic Collection by Sasha Kagan

Product Description
Iconic knitwear designer Sasha Kagan treats readers to a fascinating retrospective of her work from the past four decades in this beautifully presented collection of women’s knitwear. Known for her innovative use of color, intarsia design work, and striking patterns, Sasha’s designs transcend fashion trends and have become classic pieces in their own right. Updated and reworked in gorgeous contemporary yarns, these 20 sweaters, wraps, and jackets are just as wearable today as they were when they were created. The collection spans from 1969 to 2009, with five patterns representing each decade. In addition, swatches, magazine articles, and photographs are included to recreate the original design context for the pieces. Also included are essays by knitwear design notables like Trish Malcolm from Vogue, and British designers Steven Sheard and Susan North.

My Review
The art that Sasha has delivered in this book is amazing! I love the gallery of designs spanning from 1969-present! The photos are only half of the art given in this book. The other portion of the book that blows my mind, is the detail in the instruction on how to make each of the masterpieces shown in the photos. In addition to instruction on particular projects shown, Sasha also gives mini instruction on yarn picking, knitting in color, and yarn distributors.
Overall, Sasha did a beautiful job in delivering a masterpiece of art in conjunction with teaching techniques of particular projects.

5 out of 5 stars

Fail Harder by failblog.org community

Product Description
FAIL Harder follows the hilarious best-seller Fail Nation to showcase 200 original full-color photos of world-wide FAILS based on the popular website failblog.org, the most visited member of the Cheezburger Network.

So what qualifies as a FAIL? How about a nursery outfitted with a gun rack hanging over the baby's crib? Perhaps the equation, "E=MC3" written on a classroom's write/erase board. What about a trifecta of beauty parlor, chain saw repair, and nightclub housed inside an all-in-one-stop shop?

Classic FAILs like these are presented in more than 15 different categories, including At Home, In A Relationship, On the Job, and With Your Pets.

If you must FAIL, FAIL Harder.

My Review

The funniest photos I have seen in a long time! Made me laugh over and over! Great book to give as a gift or for your coffee table!

5 out of 5 stars

A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

My Review

Amazing book! It is amazing to read the ordeal Jaycee went through for so long. I can not imagine being taken away from my family and surviving. This story is a true tale of survival and strength. I hope and pray for the best for her and her family now as she reunites with her mother, sister and aunt as well as readjusts to life being free with her two daughters.

**Warning*** I was quite surprised at the language used in the book. Not a book for minors. Also, some pretty explicit details are given of the amount of torture and abuse Jaycee experienced. I would not recommend anyone under 18 reading it unless a parent has read it first and gave approval.

4 out of 5 stars

Zombie Cupcakes by Zilly Rosen

Product Description
Conjuring up her inner George A. Romero, professional cake designer Zilly Rosen focuses her creative attention on crafting a legion of edible undead inside Zombie Cupcakes: From the Grave to the Table with 16 Cupcake Corpses. With a nod to Romero's zombie franchise, Rosen offers instructions for crafting 16 terrifying treats, including:

* Toxic Bite

* Zombie Rising

* Keep an Eye Out

* Destroy the Brain

and more!

Readers can raise their own macabre multitude of Zombie Cupcakes creations from the undead with an average creation time of less than one hour. Each Zombie Cupcakes design includes a full-color photograph of the zombie creation at hand, as well as an illustrated instructional overview and a convenient sidebar list of every item you will need to complete the cupcake.

My Review

Beautiful cupcakes! Very creative! Makes me want to have a Halloween Party just so I can make them and show them off to my friends and eat them! Can't wait till Halloween this year!

5 out of 5 stars!

The Ex-Boyfriend's Handbook by Matt Dunn

Product Description
"It's not me - it's you. You've let yourself go, so I'm letting you go too." When Edward Middleton hears those words from Jane, his girlfriend of the past ten years, he knows he's in serious trouble. Determined to get her back, Edward must learn how to make women fancy him again. But what makes for a good boyfriend nowadays? Right now, he's the kind of man who puts the 'ex' into 'sexy'. One thing is certain: if he's to be Jane's Mr Right, he needs to turn himself into a bit of all right. From Atkins and Botox, Edward begins working his way through the makeover alphabet. But can cuddly Teddy really become sexy Eddie? Can he rise from the ranks of discarded exes? Or has his journey of self-discovery taken him in a different direction entirely?

My Review:

Brilliantly written! I loved the surprise ending! Very interesting insight and a joy to read. I loved looking at it from the other angle. From the title one would assume that this is a book for men. But really this book could easily fall into the Chick-Lit category. I am looking forward to reading other books by Dunn.

5 out of 5 stars

Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe by Jeremy Greenberg

Product Description
Inside Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe, writer and comedian Jeremy Greenberg presents a collection of 50 laugh-out-loud letters and accompanying full-color photographs that explain Fido's love of funky smells, why a ball needs to be thrown again, and practically every other lovably loony canine characteristic.

From an impassioned plea to stop the silly nicknames, to an attempt to skip a bath, to explanations for stolen shoes and swiped sandwiches, Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe offers a pooch's perspective on common canine vs. human cohabitation conundrums. Sorry I Pooped in Your Shoe is the perfect gift for dog lovers and anyone who appreciates hilarious (and so true!) insights into dog--and human--nature.

My Review

Cute coffee table book or book to be used as a gift. Not a book I would have purchased for myself but my 9 year old really enjoyed it. The answers/ letters written by the dogs are cute never the less.

4 out of 5 stars

Cook Like a Rock Star by Anne Burrell

Interesting cookbook with over 125 recipes from famous chef Anne Burrell. I really enjoyed reading her favorite tools lists as she lists her favorite kitchen tools and why she loved them. Some of them I had not even thought to use for the reasons she loves them!

I was VERY disappointed to read that NO WHERE on the internet could I get an overview of the book before I read it. Not even from the publisher! All I could find were quotes from others with their rave reviews... it made me wonder if the book was really that good or maybe if the publisher was trying to cover something up.

The recipes she includes do mostly contain seafood including crabs, shrimp, oysters and more.

I could have done without the photos of her and her husband in the book....

1 out of 5 stars

Go the F**K to Sleep by Adam Mansbach

Publishers Description:

Go the Fuck to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don't always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. Profane, affectionate, and radically honest, California Book Award-winning author Adam Mansbach's verses perfectly capture the familiar--and unspoken--tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. In the process, they open up a conversation about parenting, granting us permission to admit our frustrations, and laugh at their absurdity.

With illustrations by Ricardo Cortes, Go the Fuck to Sleep is beautiful, subversive, and pants-wettingly funny--a book for parents new, old, and expectant. You probably should not read it to your children.

My Review:

Awesome book! I loved it! I understood what this parent was feeling. I am a mother of 2 and have felt those feelings more then once.

This is not a book to be read to a child! It is a book of humor more for the parent. Great book for a gift to another parent or for a baby shower.

Every parent should be able to sympathize with these feelings.

5 out of 5 stars

Any Man of Mine By Rachel Gibson

Book Description From Publisher

What happens in Vegas . . . doesn't always stay there.

Autumn Haven's Las Vegas "to-do" list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say "pass the coffee," Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn't clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate's "Special Day," where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?


My Review

This book was a fast and easy read. Not the typical plot or ending. Can't wait to read the sequel~
4 out of 5 stars!

The Visit by William Butler

Product Description
A touching story about a young man waiting for his mother to come visit him. A personal story about forgiveness. My mother had Cancer and passed away. On the night of her death I had a dream, where she came to me and talked to me. This is that dream...

My Review
A very cute and loving short story of love between a mother and son. Having lost someone close to me I understand the feelings the son had. We all have unfinished business and this story is one of closure.

4 out of 5 stars.

Prince William & Kate: A Royal Romance by Matt Doeden

Prince William & Kate: A Royal Romance (Gateway Biographies)

My Review:

Great love story! I loved the way this story was written. It was simple yet gave all info needed. The photos used were great as well. Who wouldn't want to see photos of the future King & Queen at their wedding?!?!?!
This book as did a great job explaining not only the lives of William & Kate but also the purpose of the monarchy.

Overall this is a great book for a 3-4 grader!

5 out of 5 stars!

Church of Lies by Flora Jessop

From Publishers Weekly
It is difficult for any person not affiliated with a group like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) to imagine the motivation for living in such a system. Jessop grew up within the strictures of the FLDS cult, subjected to its forced marriages and rampant sexual abuse. Her story is a harrowing but inspiring account of one womans determination to break free. She relates in rather stark terms the horror of growing up in the polygamous community, the many pleasures she was denied as a child as her elders pursued a pseudo-holiness, forbidding the joys of childhood but engaging in horrible acts of pedophilia. Following her own liberation, she has worked tirelessly and fearlessly to liberate those who want out of the group. Readers will be repelled at some of what Jessop has to say, but in the end, they will be heartened by her efforts to free others in the grip of the FLDS leadership. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


My Review
I started reading this book knowing only the basics about polygamy. I am like other average Americans and have seen an episode or two of Sister Wives. I'd never heard of Flora Jessop. Very interesting book! I was blown away by the acts committed and detailed in this book. This story is raw. On a number of occasions I was shocked by what I read! Rape of little kids, prearranged marriages of kids fourteen and under (often to men 2 or 3 times their age), incest and inbreeding. Kids were taught that this, and much more, was actually required of them to escape damnation to hell and the only way they could get to Heaven.
I guess I felt like others... and thought "That doesn't happen in the USA." WoW! I was wrong! Even more powerful reading developed from the Jessop's attempts to save her family after her own escape. This was made difficult by her family members' fear of eternal damnation and fear for their own safety from others in the community. I commend Flora Jessop for having the courage to be able to tell her story. This book has made me think about how to help others in the same predicament as Flora was.

Definitely a must read! Read the book...

4 out of 5 stars!

Disney Cars 2 Video Game

Calling all spies. Got what it takes to save the world? Check out Cars 2: The Video Game in stores 6/21

The Tragedie of Hamlet

A true classic! I love Shakespeare!! Hamlet is a tale of relationships. My students thoroughly enjoyed this Shakespeare story. Shakespeare is so quotable, and Hamlet is no different - you often find yourself saying "I have heard that before."

Best Quotes:

"To be or not to be, that is the question"
"To thine own self be true".

5 out of 5 stars